beer in a vigorous state of fermentation, the head will very soon drop. If a fermenting tun be placed directly under an iron-jack or hop-back, on the boiling worts being turned into the jack-back, the head on the worts, however vigorously going on, will very soon drop.

Size of Copper.

The size of the copper or coppers and mash-tuns must be proportioned to the quantities of malt to be brewed.

Where there is but one copper it is much better that it should be too large than too small, as a large copper gives much greater facility in going on with the process, and also often enables the brewer to boil all the worts at once; thus saving both time and fuel. The copper should, therefore, contain from four to five barrels for each quarter of malt to be brewed; or say for 10 quarters, 50 barrels, and so on. By inserting a damper in the flue, say about 18 inches above the crown, any copper can be made to boil 10 barrels or less, without injury to itself. This damper being shut, and another opened higher up, the copper becomes serviceable to its full exWe have seen a copper containing only 42 barrels for mashing 18 or 20 quarters of malt: this caused such delay in the process, as was often very injurious. There was no occasion to brew more than eight or nine quarters at a time, which could be done

tent.

well and safely; but it was with the greatest difficulty that the proprietors were persuaded to adopt that alteration, and it is doubtful if they altogether now adopt it.

Size of Mash-Tun.

The mash-tun should contain nearly four barrels for every quarter of malt to be brewed. This enables us to turn on a sufficient quantity of liquor for making a large extract in the first mash, which will be found the most beneficial mode of brewing every kind of beer. We do not, however, mean that a large quantity of liquor should be turned on at first. See Mashing.

The under-back must be proportioned to the mash-tun. In some newly constructed brew-houses there are no under-backs, which is a great improvement. The liquor-boiler and mash-tun are placed high enough to command the wort-copper. The worts then run directly from the mash-tun into the copper, (see page 44.) It is certainly the best construction that can be adopted, as it not only saves time and labour, but also prevents the possibility of the worts getting tainted between the mash-tun and copper; which sometimes happens by lying too long

in the under-back.

Coolers.

Where there are no refrigerators, the coolers

E

should be spacious, and so constructed as that the worts may be run from the one into the other, which very much facilitates cooling; and where there are no artificial means of cooling, the coolers should be of such dimensions as to prevent the necessity of the worts being at an average more than two inches deep; or two and a-half inches at the utmost. Blowers or fans are very useful, as they not only facilitate the cooling of the worts, by sweeping off the fob or froth, thus allowing a free radiation of caloric, but also by keeping the worts in constant motion, they assist in preventing their becoming tainted. Refrigerators are now very much used. We have lately, however, been inclined to think, that when improperly constructed, they sometimes occasion a little faintness in the worts by galvanic action, although the injury may perhaps as frequently arise from want of cleanliness. Our opinion, however, on this subject, will be more fully expressed under the articles Refrigerators and Regulators.

Fermenting Tuns.

The fermenting or gyle-tuns should be of sufficient dimensions to contain the worts, and leave at least six inches of the depth unoccupied: they must also have on the top a sufficiency of what is called lubber boarding or frame work, for the rise of the head during fermentation. After what has

been said upon electro-chemical action, it is almost unnecessary to add how the tuns should be placed; they should of course be isolated as much as possible, and in no way connected with the earth, either by pipes or otherwise. If main pipes must be had for cleansing, the gyle-tuns should be detached from them during the progress of fermentation. When ready for cleansing, they may again be connected by union screws and pipes. Long chains of pipes connecting different vessels together, must be injurious in every case, as they will be found to produce electro-chemical action.

The chains of pipes now so frequently employed in cleansing, for the purpose of saving labour and waste of beer, although not so injurious as during fermentation in the gyle-tuns, may nevertheless be found prejudicial to a certain extent. The old mode, therefore, of cleansing with leather hoses (or pipes), although more troublesome, will be found safer, as far at least as regards perfection in beer.

Several plans might be suggested of getting through the process of cleansing as quickly and with as little waste as by long chains of pipes.

52

SACCHAROMETER.

The late Mr. Richardson, of Hull, was the inventor of an instrument for ascertaining on scientific principles, the real value of malt. Before his time, many rude means had been resorted to for that purpose. Equal quantities, for instance, of wort and water were weighed against each other, but this method was found to be both troublesome and uncertain, and was only practised by very few. Since his time, various instruments have been introduced for the same purpose; but for real utility in practice, it has not as yet been excelled by any; and having only one pound gravity on the stem, fewer mistakes can occur than when there are 10 or 20 lbs. in the same space. These instruments are still manufactured and sold by Mr. Joseph Long, Hydrometer-maker, &c., 20, Little Tower Street, London. For his scientific knowledge, and accuracy in all matters of this kind, we can vouch. The Saccharometer sanctioned by government, is that constructed by Mr. Bates, which shews the specific gravity of the worts, as compared with water at unity, or 1000; thus progressing to 1020, 40, 60, 80, to 1140, which is quite enough for the specific gravity of worts, for beer of every description. Richardson's instrument shows the increase of weight of the worts according to the actual number of pounds of saccharine matter, held in solution by the